he defended the earl of Anglefea against his lady, afterwards dutchefs of Buckinghamshire, who fued for a divorce, and ob tained it.

The expence of his pleasures, and neglect of business, had now leffened his revenues; and he was willing to accept of a fettlement in Ireland, where, about 1702, he was made judge of the admiralty, commiffroner of the prizes, keeper of the records in Birmingham's tower, and vicar-general to Dr. Marsh, the primate.

But it is vain to put wealth within the reach of him who will not stretch out his hand to take it. King foon found a friend, as idle and thoughtless as himself, in Upton, one of the judges, who had a pleasant house called Mount-town, near Dublin, to which King frequently retired; delighting to neglect his intereft, forget his cares, and defert his duty.

Here he wrote Mully of Mountown, a po em; by which, though fanciful readers in the pride of fagacity have given it a poetical interpretation, was meant originally no more than it expreffed, as it was dic

tated

tated only by the author's delight in the quiet of Mountown

In 1708, when lord Wharton was fent to govern Ireland, King returned to London, with his poverty, his idleness, and his wit; and published some essays called Useful Tranfactions. His Voyage to the Iland of Cajamai is particularly commended. He then wrote the Art of Love, a poem remarkable, notwithstanding its title, for purity of fentiment; and in 1709 imitated Horace in an Art of Cookery, which he published, with fome letters to Dr. Lifter.

In 1710, he appeared as a lover of the Church, on the fide of Sacheverell; and was fuppofed to have concurred at least in the projection of The Examiner. His eyes were open to all the operations of Whiggifm; and he bestowed some strictures upon Dr. Kennet's adulatory fermon at the funeral of the duke of Devonshire.

The History of the Heathen Gods, a book composed for schools, was written by him in 1711. The work is useful; but might have been produced without the powers of King. The fame year, he published Rufinus,

VOL. II.

S

finus, an hiftorical effay; and a poem, intended to dispose the nation to think as he thought of the duke of Marlborough and his adherents.

In 1711, competence, if not plenty, was again put into his power. He was, without the trouble of attendance, or the mortification of a requeft, made gazetteer. Swift, Freind, Prior, and other men of the fame party, brought him the key of the gazetteer's office. He was now again placed in a profitable employment, and again threw the benefit away. An Act of Infolvency made his bufinefs at that time particularly troublefome; and he would not wait till hurry should be at an end, but impatiently refigned it, and returned to his wonted indigence and amufements.

One of his ataufements at Lambeth, where he refided, was to mortify Dr. Tenifon, the Archbishop, by a public festivity, on the furrender of Dunkirk to Hill; an event with which Tenifon's political bigotry did not fuffer him to be delighted. King was refolved to counteract his fullennefs, and at the expence of a few barrels of ale filled the neighbourhood with honest

merriment.

1

In the Autumn of 1712, his health declined; he grew weaker by degrees, and died on Christmas-day. Though his life had not been without irregularity, his principles were pure and orthodox, and his death was pious.

After this relation, it will be naturally supposed that his poems were rather the amusements of idleness than efforts of study; that he endeavoured rather to divert than astonish; that his thought feldom afpired to fublimity; and that, if his verse was eafy and his images familiar, he attained what he defired. His purpose is to be merry; but perhaps, to enjoy his mirth, it may be fometimes neceffary to think well of his opinions.

SPRA T.

T

HOMAS SPART was born in 1636,

at Tallaton in Devonshire, the fon of a clergyman; and having been educated, as he tells of himself, not at Westminster or Eaton, but at a little school by the church-yard fide, became a commoner of Wadham College in Oxford in 1651; and, being chofen scholar next year, proceeded through the ufual academical course; and in 1657 became master of arts. He obtained a fellowthip and commenced poet.

In 1659, his poem on the death of Oliver was published, with those of Dryden and Waller. In his dedication to Dr. Wilkins he appears a very willing and liberal encomiast, both of the living and the dead. He implores his patron's excuse of his verses, both as falling "fo infinitely "below the full and fublime genius of

"that